Amuru leaders propose tithing to safeguard church school land

AMURU - Amuru district authorities have urged the Gulu Archdiocese to take steps towards securing land titles for church-founded schools to resolve persistent land disputes. 

Amuru district has 51 government grant-aided primary schools, 36 of which are Catholic-founded.

Speaking at Alokolum National Major Seminary in Gulu city on April 1, 2025, Amuru district chairperson Michael Lakony proposed that the Catholic Church dedicate part of its collections to surveying and acquiring land titles.

Lakony revealed that he spent over two weeks mediating a land dispute between a school in Opara subcounty and the surrounding community. Local leaders, fearing hostility and potential loss of votes in upcoming elections, had distanced themselves from the mediation process.

He suggested that the archdiocese could dedicate 30% of its annual church collections to securing land titles for institutions such as schools, churches, and health centres under its administration.

Potential sources of funding

Currently, Catholic-founded nursery schools charge an annual foundation fee of sh3,000 per child, while pupils and students in primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions pay sh9,000, sh15,000, and sh20,000, respectively.

In the 2023/24 financial year, the government allocated sh16 million to facilitate land title acquisition for schools in Amuru. However, ongoing land conflicts prevented its utilisation, and the funds were returned to the Consolidated Fund at the end of the financial year.

Providing guidance on the issue, the Archbishop of Gulu, Raphael P’Mony Wokorach, advised headteachers, school management committees, and parish education committees to implement visible Catholic identity markers in schools to prevent future conflicts. (Credit: Robert Mone)

Challenges

Amuru district education officer Joyce Lanyero suggested that foundation fees paid by parents could be used to register school land, as the government has stopped funding land title acquisitions for community and foundation body schools.

She noted that many of the conflicts stem from internal disputes, often instigated by members of school management committees, Parents-Teachers Associations, or neighbouring landowners of different faiths.

Such tensions frequently escalate into fierce confrontations, as seen in disputes involving Palwong Primary School in Pabbo Town Council, Lajalula Primary School, and Palukere Primary School, among others.

Conny Ouma, the archdiocesan land officer, acknowledged the financial challenges in securing land titles for Catholic schools.

Ouma explained that the archdiocese is working to ensure schools acquire land titles in its name rather than under individual school names.

"It's better to apply for the land title in the name of 'The Registered Trustee of Gulu Archdiocese (Name of the School)' to ensure the archdiocese retains ownership," he advised school managers.

Throughout the Acholi sub-region, numerous schools are embroiled in land disputes involving neighbouring communities, relatives of deceased landowners who had donated land for school construction, and wrangles over foundation body ownership.

Long-term interventions

Providing guidance on the issue, the Archbishop of Gulu, Raphael P’Mony Wokorach, advised headteachers, school management committees, and parish education committees to implement visible Catholic identity markers in schools to prevent future conflicts.

“Rebrand signposts to include ‘Gulu Archdiocese’, build statues on school compounds, organise prayers on foundation day or the patron saint’s feast day, hold weekly rosary prayers, and place crucifixes in all classrooms, staff rooms, libraries, and halls. These measures will distinguish Catholic schools from other foundation bodies while also reinforcing the faith of learners and future leaders,” Archbishop P’Mony instructed.

He added that these visible markers and inscriptions would not only affirm the Catholic identity of the schools but also provide continuity for future administrators in preserving their religious heritage.